Professional Learning Resource

The public narrative about education often lacks teacher voices. Teachers face barriers in deciding what to write as well as where and how to make their stories public. This resource is intended to reduce those barriers by helping teachers decide systematically on a writing topic and venue.

The Knowles Inquiry Modules guide teacher groups through a self-paced professional inquiry process. Across five modules (developing questions, considering data, collecting data, analyzing data, and sharing outcomes), educators collaboratively examine and refine their teaching practices. The framework promotes reflection, critical friendship, and continuous professional growth through structured yet flexible inquiry cycles.

The Knowles Teacher Initiative Hand Identity Activity is a reflection tool, adapted from Facing History and Ourselves, that supports educators in exploring self-perceptions and others’ perceptions. Teachers can use this activity to reflect on identity, share insights with colleagues, and consider how differences between self-view and external perception shape classroom and collegial interactions.

This resource is a valuable tool for facilitators aiming to lead productive, equitable, and goal-oriented data analysis protocol conversations. It addresses both the logistical and interpersonal aspects of facilitating such discussions, ultimately contributing to more meaningful learning experiences for everyone involved.

Collaborative inquiry supports small groups of teachers working together to strengthen equitable teaching practices and deepen students’ learning. This process begins with identifying a question about how students are learning, collecting and analyzing data in support of that question, and then using insights gained throughout the process to modify instructional practices.